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Updated May 2026 · ClinicalTrials.gov

RECRUITINGPhase 1 / Phase 2INTERVENTIONAL

Controlling Hyperactive Immunity With Long-lived Lymphocytes

Phase I/II Study of QEL-005 in Patients With Diffuse Cutaneous Systemic Sclerosis (dcSSc) and in Patients With Difficult to Treat Rheumatoid Arthritis (D2TRA).

Controlling Hyperactive Immunity With Long-lived Lymphocytes (NCT07473154) is a Phase 1 / Phase 2 interventional studying Diffuse Cutaneous Systemic Sclerosis and Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA), sponsored by Quell Therapeutics Limited. RECRUITING as of the most recent ClinicalTrials.gov update. Talk to your doctor before contacting the trial site.

Important: This information is not medical advice. Talk to your doctor about whether a clinical trial is right for you.

About This Trial

This study is a Phase 1/2, open-label clinical trial to test an experimental treatment called QEL-005 in adults with two autoimmune conditions: diffuse cutaneous systemic sclerosis (dcSSc) and difficult-to-treat rheumatoid arthritis (D2TRA). The main goals are to find out whether QEL-005 is safe, how well people tolerate it, and whether it may help reduce disease activity or improve symptoms. QEL-005 is made from a participant's own white blood cells (autologous cells). These cells are collected and then changed in a laboratory using genetic methods to create specialized immune cells called CAR-T regulatory cells that target a protein on B cells called CD19. These modified cells are then given back to the participant by intravenous (IV) infusion. To take part, eligible participants will first have a procedure called leukapheresis, where some of their white blood cells are removed from the blood. The study team will use these cells to manufacture QEL005. After QEL005 is ready, participants will receive an IV infusion of their modified cells, stay in hospital overnight for monitoring, and will then be followed closely in the clinic. Throughout the trial, participants will have regular safety checks, which may include blood tests, imaging scans, questionnaires about symptoms and daily functioning, and biopsies taken from involved tissues, to help understand how QEL005 is working in the body. Detailed follow up will be for 1 year after QEL-005 infusion, and there is long-term follow up for a total of 15 years, which is standard for cell therapies. The information from this Phase 1/2 study will help determine an appropriate dose and dosing schedule of QEL005 for future studies.

What Stage of Research Is This?

Phase 1 trials test a new treatment for the first time in humans, focusing on safety, dosing, and how the body processes the drug. For Diffuse Cutaneous Systemic Sclerosis, a Phase 1 study typically enrolls a small number of participants — often healthy volunteers or patients who have exhausted standard treatment options. Phase 1 results determine whether a treatment moves into larger Phase 2 efficacy studies.

This trial is currently recruiting participants. The sponsor has registered the study with ClinicalTrials.gov as actively enrolling, which means new applicants who meet the eligibility criteria can be considered for screening. Trial status can change between updates — confirm current recruiting status with the study contact before traveling for a screening visit.

With a target enrollment of 16 participants, this is a small study — typical of early-phase research, rare-disease trials, or pilot studies designed to generate preliminary signal before a larger study is launched.

Who May Be Eligible (Plain English)

Who May Qualify: - Participants must be at least 18 years of age at the time of signing the willing to sign a consent form. - Up to date vaccination status and no planned vaccinations for post 3 months infusion - Adequate haematological, liver and renal function - Willing to undergo annual influenza vaccination - Willing to enter a 15-year follow-up - Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status grade \< 3 - Able and willing to use a highly effective method of contraception - Stable dose of steroid prior to screening Specific inclusion criteria for participants with difficult to treat rheumatoid Arthritis (D2TRA) only: - Diagnosis of Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) per 2010 ACR-EULAR criteria - Diagnosis of D2TRA per 2021 EULAR criteria - Evidence of clinically active disease a defined by validated clinical or laboratory results consistent with standard definitions of active RA - Evidence of inflammation in target joints used for the DAS28 CRP assessment Specific inclusion criteria for participants with diffuse cutaneous systemic sclerosis (dcSSc) only: - Diagnosis of dcSSc as per the 2013 ACR-EULAR criteria - Serologically positive for antinuclear antibodies - Failure to respond sufficiently to immunomodulatory disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs). - Skin involvement with a total modified Rodnan Skin Score of at least 15 - Evidence of lung fibrosis based on imaging or pulmonary function testing - Evidence of active disease based on a validated SSc activity assessment Who Should NOT Join This Trial: - Presence of a significant medical condition(s), or clinically significant laboratory abnormality - History or concern of autoimmune conditions (where your immune system attacks your own body)s other than those under study - Active infection, or recurrent chronic infection requiring intervention - weakened immune system or receiving immunoglobulin replacement therapy ...See full criteria on ClinicalTrials.gov Always talk to your doctor about whether this trial is right for you.

These are translations of the protocol\'s inclusion and exclusion criteria, simplified for patients and caregivers. The original clinical text appears below. Eligibility is ultimately confirmed by the trial site\'s screening process — this summary is a starting point for a conversation with your doctor, not a final determination.

Original Eligibility Criteria

View original clinical language
Inclusion Criteria: * Participants must be at least 18 years of age at the time of signing the informed consent. * Up to date vaccination status and no planned vaccinations for post 3 months infusion * Adequate haematological, liver and renal function * Willing to undergo annual influenza vaccination * Willing to enter a 15-year follow-up * Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status grade \< 3 * Able and willing to use a highly effective method of contraception * Stable dose of steroid prior to screening Specific inclusion criteria for participants with difficult to treat rheumatoid Arthritis (D2TRA) only: * Diagnosis of Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) per 2010 ACR-EULAR criteria * Diagnosis of D2TRA per 2021 EULAR criteria * Evidence of clinically active disease a defined by validated clinical or laboratory results consistent with standard definitions of active RA * Evidence of inflammation in target joints used for the DAS28 CRP assessment Specific inclusion criteria for participants with diffuse cutaneous systemic sclerosis (dcSSc) only: * Diagnosis of dcSSc as per the 2013 ACR-EULAR criteria * Serologically positive for antinuclear antibodies * Failure to respond sufficiently to immunomodulatory disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs). * Skin involvement with a total modified Rodnan Skin Score of at least 15 * Evidence of lung fibrosis based on imaging or pulmonary function testing * Evidence of active disease based on a validated SSc activity assessment Exclusion Criteria: * Presence of a significant medical condition(s), or clinically significant laboratory abnormality * History or concern of autoimmune diseases other than those under study * Active infection, or recurrent chronic infection requiring intervention * Immunodeficiency or receiving immunoglobulin replacement therapy * Past or current infection with hepatitis B or C, tuberculosis, syphilis, or HIV * Clinically significant cardiac dysfunction or severe pulmonary impairment * Use of investigational agents within a pre-defined period prior to study screening * Received a previous cell therapy * Received certain B cell related experimental therapies in a clinical trial with the past year * Any solid organ, bone marrow or stem cell transplant * History of malignancy in the past 5 years * Receiving prohibited medication that cannot be stopped at screening

Treatments Being Tested

DRUG

QEL-005

QEL-005 is an autologous cell therapy that is composed of engineered regulatory T cells transduced with a lentiviral vector containing a CAR directed against the B cell marker CD19. Treatment will be given via an IV infusion.

Locations (6)

Trial sites listed on ClinicalTrials.gov for this study. Site activation status can vary — confirm with the specific site before traveling for a screening visit.

University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust
Birmingham, United Kingdom
Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
Leeds, United Kingdom
Guy's & St Thomas NHS Foundation Trust
London, United Kingdom
Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust
London, United Kingdom
Newcastle Upon Tyne NHS Foundation Trust
Newcastle, United Kingdom
University of Oxford - The Kennedy Institute
Oxford, United Kingdom

How to Talk to Your Doctor About This Trial

Bring the printable summary of this trial — including the NCT ID (NCT07473154), the sponsor (Quell Therapeutics Limited), and the key eligibility criteria — to your next appointment. Your doctor can review the inclusion and exclusion criteria against your medical history, lab values, and current treatments to assess whether you are likely to qualify. They can also help you weigh whether trial participation makes sense alongside your existing care plan.

Useful questions to walk through together: What does the trial protocol require beyond standard care? How long is the active treatment phase, and how long is follow-up? Are there study visits at sites I can reach? Who pays for the trial-specific procedures, and who pays for standard-of-care portions? See our 25 questions to ask about clinical trials guide for a more complete checklist.

Authoritative Sources

The official record for this trial lives on ClinicalTrials.gov — the federal registry maintained by the National Library of Medicine at NIH. For background on how this trial fits into the FDA approval pathway, see the FDA drug approval process. For oncology-specific guidance for patients considering trials, the National Cancer Institute publishes patient-oriented overviews. International trial registries are aggregated by the WHO ICTRP.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the NCT07473154 clinical trial studying?

This study is a Phase 1/2, open-label clinical trial to test an experimental treatment called QEL-005 in adults with two autoimmune conditions: diffuse cutaneous systemic sclerosis (dcSSc) and difficult-to-treat rheumatoid arthritis (D2TRA). The main goals are to find out whether QEL-005 is safe, how well people tolerate it, and whether it may help reduce disease activity or improve symptoms. QEL-005 is made from a participant's own white blood cells (autologous cells). These cells are collected and then changed in a laboratory using genetic methods to create specialized immune cells called C… The full protocol is registered on ClinicalTrials.gov and includes the primary outcome measures, eligibility criteria, and study endpoints.

Who can participate in NCT07473154?

Eligibility for this trial depends on the specific inclusion and exclusion criteria set by the sponsor. The plain-English summary above translates the most important criteria into accessible language; the official clinical text is preserved in the collapsible section underneath. Whether you fit any specific trial is a medical decision your doctor needs to confirm — bring the trial information to your treating physician for a full review against your medical history.

How do I contact the trial site for NCT07473154?

Contact information registered with ClinicalTrials.gov is shown in the sidebar of this page. Before reaching out, confirm with your treating physician that this trial is appropriate for your situation. The trial site will then walk you through the screening process to determine final eligibility.

Is participating in a clinical trial safe?

Clinical trials in the United States are regulated by the FDA and overseen by Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) that review the protocol for safety. Risk varies by trial — Phase 1 studies test new treatments in humans for the first time, while Phase 3 trials use treatments that have already passed earlier safety screening. The informed consent document for any specific trial details the known risks and what to expect. Discuss those risks with your physician before deciding whether to participate.

Where can I verify the data on this page?

Every detail on this page comes directly from the ClinicalTrials.gov API. Click "View on ClinicalTrials.gov" in the sidebar to see the official, unmodified record. The federal record is always authoritative; this page is a structured presentation with a plain-English eligibility translation. For background on how clinical trials are regulated, see the FDA drug approval process documentation.

How This Page Is Built

Every field on this page is pulled directly from the ClinicalTrials.gov API v2 — no estimates, no proxies. The plain-English eligibility translation is generated from the original protocol text and reviewed for fidelity to the underlying clinical criteria. The original clinical text remains visible in the collapsible section above so users and clinicians can verify the translation. Read the full methodology for the data pipeline and known limitations.

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov API v2 record for NCT07473154. Maintained by the National Library of Medicine at NIH. Public domain. Cite as: "TrialFinderData. NCT07473154. Data: ClinicalTrials.gov."

Medical disclaimer: This page is informational, not medical advice. Talk to your doctor about whether a clinical trial is right for you.

Last updated 2026-05-08 · Data from ClinicalTrials.gov.